Improving the thermotropic response effectiveness of acrylic shape memory polymer by adding lignosulfonate

Acrylic shape memory polymers rely on the rate of thermal-induced shape recovery as a key index that directly influences their effectiveness in applications that demand controllable deformation. Herein, varying concentrations of sodium lignosulfonate are added to a solution of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) during polymerization to modify the polymer network structure of MMA/PEGDA, thereby improving its thermotropic response. The results showed that incorporating 12 wt% lignosulfonate improved the shape recovery rate of SMP from 50% to 100%, while maintaining a tensile strength of 6.9 MPa. The LSMP’s storage module exceeds that of the SMP by over twofold at room temperature, and its energy release rate increases more rapidly with increasing temperature. The chemical bonding of lignosulfonate to PEGDA/MMA segments was found to improve its thermotropic response efficiency by adjusting the polymer network, as evidenced by multiple characterizations. This study highlights the potential to enhance the thermotropic response of acrylic SMP by adding lignosulfonate, while also offering new perspectives on lignosulfonate waste management.